AT&T Hit with Overtime Pay Class Action Lawsuit

San Jose, CAA class action lawsuit alleging a breach of overtime laws and the non-payment of overtime pay has been launched against communications giant AT&T. The company is accused of improperly misclassifying technical employees in an effort to make them ineligible for overtime pay.


Buccellato v. AT&T Inc. was filed in US District Court in San Jose, California, but it represents thousands of allegedly affected AT&T employees across the country. The lawsuit seeks compensation for workers who, according to the lawsuit, were unfairly denied the overtime pay.

According to the 2/18/10 issue of Computers, Networks and Communications, technical support workers employed by AT&T across the country serve under various titles including, but not limited to, Technician, Technical Architect, Technical Consultant, Network Engineer, IT Analyst, Maintenance Administrator, Project Manager, Program Manager, and Business Manager of IT. Their purview includes the installation, maintenance and support of computer software and hardware.

Given the unpredictable nature of the computer world, where breakdowns and hiccups in service happen unexpectedly and have to be rectified immediately, it is not uncommon for such employees to work long and often unscheduled hours.

The lawsuit alleges that these employees have been denied the overtime pay that is their due, by way of inappropriate and incorrect classification that allows the employer to circumvent overtime rules and regulations. The employees, who often go above and beyond the call of duty to contribute to AT&T's success, should see their efforts duly rewarded. The lawsuit seeks fair compensation for what it describes as thousands of technical workers employed by the company.

The lawsuit is inviting current and former employees of AT&T who currently perform or have at one time performed hardware or software installation, maintenance and support work for the company to join the action in a bid to secure fair compensation according to overtime labor laws.

"AT&T's position as an industry leader rests on the hard work and long hours of its technical support workers, who keep the technology infrastructure up and running," stated plaintiff Matt Buccellato. "AT&T should not be allowed to underpay these workers in violation of the law."